Ignition system



July 16, 1929. R. VARLEY IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Oct. 27, 1927 INVENTOR. Mam/w 104/745. BY "v ATTORNEY.

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Patented July 16, 1929.-

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

RICHARD VARILEY, OF ENGLEWOOI), NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO VARLEY DUPLEX MAGNET COMPANY, A CORPORATION 915 NEW' JERSEY.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

Application filed October 27, 1927. Serial No. 229,136.

This invention relates to ignition systems and particularly such systems as will be automatically opened to prevent the consumption of any appreciable current whenever the system is inadvertently left closed and the engine to which it is connected has ceased running.

In my copending application Serial No. 152,240, filed December 2, 1926, I have shown a control system which may be used for this purpose and in which I utilize a time lag relay and a resistance wire for controlling the proper circuit to accomplish this result. In this instance the energizing coil was connected across a portion only of the total E. M. F. of the system for reasons stated in the application referred to.

I have discovered that by employing a polarized time lag relay in an ignition system the combination functions satisfactorily when the energizing coil of the relay is connected directly across the total E. M. F. of the sys tem thus simplifying the connections and insuring positive results Without the use of the usual resistance wire. Any resistance wire may be used in series with the induction coil as its purpose is primarily to prevent a short on the battery when the induction coil is shorted by the relay.

By the term polarized time lag relay I do not mean what is commonly considered as a polarized relay, that is, one having a permanently biased magnetic circuit but a polarized time lag relay such as is disclosed in the copending application of Thomas 1V. Varley, Serial No. 225,433, filed October 11, 1927, in which relay there is a substantial deflection of the-moving element and which will have an appreciable time lag following the energization of the relay but which is quick acting and has no appreciable time lag in resuming its normal condition when the current through the energizing coil is discontinued.

It is the purpose of this invention therefore to provide an ignition system embodying a polarized time lag relay which is adapted to function automatically to open the primary circuit of the ignition system. By this combination of such a polarized time lag relay therein, the ignition system will be automatically opened to the flow of any appreciable current upon predetermined conditions after a certain lapse of time and will also automatically resume its normal operative condition immediately whenever the circuit is opened at another point and without the use of additional mechanical devices for so doing.

In accordance with this invention very little change is necessary in the standard ignition system, it being only necessary to interrupt the primary circuit at some point to provide a break in the line controlled by a pair of switch contacts actuated by a polarized time lag relay, the energizing coil of which is connected directly across the battery forming the usual source of current for the ignition system. The combination of such a relay in an ign tion system is particularly advantageous since the time lag upon energization of the coil can be utilized to permit the engine to rotate at very slow speeds without causing the relay to become operative, whereas the substantially instantaneous reaction of the polarized time lag relay upon deenergization thereof permits of a system which will automatically resume normal operating condition instantly. The energizing coil of the relay is connected across the battery but in series with the usual mechanical circuit interrupter in order that the relay will not be energized should the engine stop with the breaker contacts of the interrupter in open position.

I also find it highly desirable to provide the relay with a second pair of contacts which, with their associate circuits serve to short-circuit the induction coil of the igni tion system before the primary circuit is opened in a manner similar to that described in my copending application Serial No. 152,240. Such an arrangement practically eliminates all possibility of a firing spark resulting upon the opening of the primary circuit since the inductanceis eliminated before the break' A more detailed description will be given in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig; 1 is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating an embodiment of this invention as applied to standard ignition systems using a Ruhmkorff coil, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the particular relay employed.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention I employ a polarized time lag relay and have shown such a relay as is described in the application Serial No. 225.433, above referred to, which is indicated generally by the numeral 1 and is inserted in the primary circuit of the ignition system. The primary circuit is substantially unchanged except for opening it at one point to include the two normally closed contacts of the relay, the circuit being as follows: from ground 2, through battery 3 switch 4, primary winding 5 of the induction coil, to contact spring 7, contact 8 on spring arm 7 which is preferably insulated, and contact 9 on insulated terminal bar 9, through a resistance 10, inter upter contacts 11 and 12 and back to ground at 18. The secondary circuit is not disturbed in any manner and consists of a secondary winding 14: which ias one end connected to the primary winding at 15 and the other end to the usual distributor head 16, then to spark plug 17 and back to ground at 18.

In order to safeguard against backtiring when the main circuit is broken by opening contacts 8 and 9, the ends of the primary winding 5 of the induction coil are connected to a second pair of normally open contacts 19 and 20 by wires 21 and 22 respectively. The contact 19 is carried by the armature of the relay and the contact 20 is on the spring arm 7. The energizing coil 28 of the relay 1 is connected in series with contacts 11 and 12 of the interrupter and thence directly across the battery by wires 24 and 25 leading to the battery terminals leaving only the interrupter in series with the energizing coil.

In operation, if the ignition switch is inadvertently left closed while the engine is not running and the engine has stopped at such position that the contacts of the interrupter are closed, a steady uninterrupted current will flow through the energizing coil of the relay which will function after the predetermined time lag has elapsed to pull down its armature thereby closing contacts 19 and 20 and short-circuit-ing the induction coil, and upon further movement will open contacts 8 and 9. Since the inductive effect of the inductance coil has been practically eliminated there will be no firing spark upon the interruption of the main circuit. This opens the main circuit in so far as the flow of any appreciable current is concerned, but the ener gizing coil of the relay will always remain in circuit and hold the main circuit open. However, the holding current is of negligible quantity since the resistance of the coil is relatively high and the impressed voltage is only that of the battery at best. The circuit will be held open in this manner until the primary circuit is opened at some other point as by throwing switch 4 or by turning over the en gine to open the breaker contacts 11 and 12 whereupon the relay will immediately react there being relatively no time lag upon deenergization and the system will be immediately operative. It is apparent that the combustion circuit herein described can be readily utilized as the standard system for any internal combustion engine without material structural changes from the present systems although the combinative effect is widely divergent.

It is obvious that changes in the illustrated embodiment of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with an ignition system for internal combustion engines including a battery, an interrupter and an induction coil the primary of which is connected in circuit with the interrupter and the battery, a normally closed pair of contacts in the primary circuit, and a slow acting relay the magnet coil of which is pern'lanently connected in series with the interrupterand battery in parallel with the induction coil and the armature of which is operative to open said pair of contacts.

2. In combination with an ignition system for internal combustion engines including a battery, an interrupter and an induction coil the primary of which is connected in circuit with the interrupter and the battery, a normally closed pair of contacts in the primary circuit, a shunt for the primary of the induction coil including a normally open pair of contacts. and a slow acting relay, the magnet of which is permanently connected in series with the interrupter and the battery in parallel with the induction coil and the armature of which is operative to close said normally open contacts and to open said normally closed contacts.

3. In combination with an ignition system for internal combustion engines including a battery, an interrupter and an induction coil the primary of which is connected in circuit with the interrupter and the battery, a normally closed pair of contacts in the primary circuit, a shunt for the primary of the induction coil including a normally open pair of contacts, a slow acting relay, the magnet of which is permanently connected in series with the interrupter and the battery in parallel with the induction coil and the armature of which is operative to close said normally open contacts and to open said normally closed contacts, and a resistance arranged to prevent shorting the battery when the normally open contacts are closed and before the normally closed contacts are opened.

4. In combination with an ignition system for internal combustion engines includinga battery, an interrupter, an induction coil the primary of which is connected in circuit with the interrupter and the battery and a resistance to prevent shorting the battery, a normally closed pair of contacts in the primary circuit, a shunt for the primary of the induction coil including a. normally open pair of contacts, and a slow acting relay the magnet coil of which is permanently connected in series with the interrupter and battery in parallel with the resistance and the induction coil and the armature of which is operative to close said normally open pair of contacts and to open said normally closed pair of contacts in sequence.

5. In combination with an ignition system for internal combustion engines including a battery, an interrupter, an induction coil the primary of which is connected in circuit with the interrupter and the battery and a resistance to prevent shorting the battery, a shunt for the primary of the induction coil, a slow acting relay the magnet coil of which is permanently connected in circuit with the interrupter and battery in parallel with the induction coil a spring arm on the relay, a pair of normally closed contacts in the primary circuit, one of which is carried by the spring arm, and a pair of normally open contacts in the shunt for the primary coil, one of which is also carried by the spring arm, and means connected by the armature of the relay when the relay is energized to close the open contacts and sequentially to flex the spring arm and open the closed cont-acts.

6. In combination with an ignition system for internal combustion engines including a battery, an interrupter and an induction coil, means including a normally closed pair of contacts for connecting the primary of the induction coil in series with the interrupter and the battery, a shunt for the primary of the induction coil including a normally open pair of contacts, a resistance in the primary circuit between the normally closed pair of contacts and the interrupter, and a relay, the magnet coil of which is permanently connected in parallel with the resistance and the induction coil and the armature of which is my signature.

RICHARD VARLEY. 

